Study: AT&T's reasons for throttling are BS

The carrier shut down its unlimited plans last year, saying it was aiming at stopping the "top 5 percent" of bandwidth hogs, who allegedly accounted for over 50 percent of all mobile traffic during the year. Users who go over 2GB on an unlimited plan are throttled back down to 2G/EDGE speeds.

Validas, a company that promises to "slash your cell phone bill, on average, by 20%," conducted the study, by examining over 55,000 cell phone bill from Verizon and AT&T in 2011.

The study showed that AT&T's alleged data hogs were not actually using much more data than anyone else. The study says that the top 5 percent of data users on AT&T's network use (on average) 3.97GB per month, only 780MB more than the top 5 percent of those that use tiered plans, which come in different flavors and prices.

In conclusion, the company says AT&T is throttling to force users over to their tiered plans, which are "easier to manage" and efficiently block the occasional user who does use a massive amount of data that actually puts a strain on their network.

15 user comments

Just a way for companies like att and others to complain about the people that give them business to make more money. You want more data, pay for it, you want data at all pay for it. It's unlimited data plan, but we don't want you to over use it, so we'll screw you over. How's it feel?

If the GB cap was at 3gb I wouldn't be complaining! Since on occasion I do enter above the 2gb range, but I've never been past 3! And I use my phone for internet services a lot. So it is a real hassle to have unusable internet speeds.

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In what other industry do you know of, where a company offers a particular level of service, in order to attract new customers/subscribers. And then, once they have obtained enough of them, pull the rug from under their feet, and throttle their service. This goes to prove that these companies do not have respect for their customers, that they are only cash cows, and customer loyalty will be rewarded by changing your contract, or adding restrictions.

I've complained so many times in the past; companies since the 80s have gone under the business model of 'maximize the minimum, f*k the consumer' for so long they think we'll all blindly go along with it without someone coming along to check the facts.

AT&T has already "known" pretty much no one is going to use over 4GB of data. Thus they've subscribed to the "how do we f*k the system & get away with it the longest before the FCC shuts us down?" is usually their game plan. That's why we're seeing dumbassed plans like the 1GB & 3GB plans, doubled reenlistment fees; I'm sure something else equally stupid will show up next.

Now that entertainment is starting to take hold more & more in the cellular market, it's not only AT&T that isn't wanting to shell out the bucks to upgrade their equipment given the need for that data demand. They'll all still want to make that top dollar coin on that old, haggard, out dated shite just as long as they possibly can till they can cash in on that golden lottery parachute & pass the problem on to the next asshole named CEO.

Seeing as the economy has tanked, consumer's are actually becoming educated for once & war isn't driving technology as it once did, "greed" is the only motivator to perpetuate the next step in its evolution. Why else would there be such a stagnation & a rise in prices of older technology at the moment.

I certainly wouldn't use the cost of manufacturing, excise taxes, tariffs or any other taxes used by supposed legalized state & federal fleecing methods as an excuse. And no, I'm being rhetorical...

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 26 Feb 2012 @ 13:01

Are you tethering? That would be the only reason for that kind of usage numbers. Not to mention possible grounds for Sprint (& other companies) to scream for abuse of services.

Yea, yea, I know, they said 'unlimited', but just because you were kind hearted to a street urchin who smelled of raw sewage & you let him use your bathroom one time - but it took a whole week for his stench to clear the house - does that mean he gets to continue to show up & continue to use it just because you didn't firmly stipulate the conditions up front? I.e., abuse.

I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong, so don't start a flame war. I use a boat load of data because I volunteer at a small school out in the boondocks & when their server goes down it's the only way I can I have internet access to my computers to fix anything.

But if Sprint can handle your throughput & not bitch about it, what's up AT&T's craw & why can't the rest of the cellular crowd get on board? Not to mention the fact ATT&T's lying through their teeth about data usage.

Again I say, where's the nut chewing consumer protection lawyers to sue the crud out of these companies for fraud?

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 28 Feb 2012 @ 11:38

Are you tethering? That would be the only reason for that kind of usage numbers. Not to mention possible grounds for Sprint (& other companies) to scream for abuse of services.

Yea, yea, I know, they said 'unlimited', but just because you were kind hearted to a street urchin who smelled of raw sewage & you let him use your bathroom one time - but it took a whole week for his stench to clear the house - does that mean he gets to continue to show up & continue to use it just because you didn't firmly stipulate the conditions up front? I.e., abuse.

I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong, so don't start a flame war. I use a boat load of data because I volunteer at a small school out in the boondocks & when their server goes down it's the only way I can I have internet access to my computers to fix anything.

But if Sprint can handle your throughput & not bitch about it, what's up AT&T's craw & why can't the rest of the cellular crowd get on board? Not to mention the fact ATT&T's lying through their teeth about data usage.

Again I say, where's the nut chewing consumer protection lawyers to sue the crud out of these companies for fraud?

Not flaming here. I do need to point out though that I am using ALMOST ALL of this bandwidth on 4G which where I live is saturated, (thank God) ;) Sprint also does not impose a limit at all for tethering. They will however cancel your contract and disable your phone if you download torrents or provide game hosting or any other type of "always on data" like running a server. This actually happened to me with my primary line. I fought this to no avail. They told me that I had used over 54GB of data the last month before they cut off my line but that was not why they had canceled me. I had used some torrents, ironically it was some small, LEGAL, scientific data files on hydrogen production and combustion research. Go figure. Whatever. Lesson learned. Now I proxy up.

I have been with Sprint for over 8 years & I think that I kind of know whats up their sleeves with how they operate their networks. When it comes to 3G they absolutely have limits on data but they will only really do anything about it if you're using that data while roaming. They have a wholly separate department for this called the "Excessive Roaming Department" which handles this situation and the one I went through. They also have a hand in dealing with customers when they are roaming outside of Sprint network areas for more than 20 days per month for 3 consecutive months.

What cracks me up is that AT&T is still in business nationwide. They suck balls. Where I live all of the top 4 have really good coverage, so does Nextel, but T-mobile and Verizon a little less so. Up here AT&T stores have been closing alot the last two years. I guess thats a good indication of where things stand. Also , even though I dont really like the Iphone I personally know a butt load of people who jumped ship once Sprint sold the Iphone. Even my family is switching from Verizon to Sprint after almost ten years due to this data and price difference/ coverage B.S.

Data limits are for suckers.

Oops forgot to answer your question. Yes I do tether but only about half the time. I drive around bumping Pandora or let my kid watch Netflix or Hulu. Plus I skype while driving, Sometimes with video, which is so cool. Also use Qik sometimes.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 05 Mar 2012 @ 15:42